Today in "What's the Story?" we answer a question from a reader who wants to know what's up with the poor condition of the Eisenbahn Trail.

"We bicycled the Eisenbahn Trail starting in Eden and were greatly disappointed in the lack of maintenance along the trails. It was apparent there had been no trimming of grass or weeds along the trail. We were having to duck tree branches and avoid weeds growing in the trail. I'm sure we'll hear that it's a lack of funding. I see it as an embarrassment to bikers who travel a great distance to bike our trails and then are disappointed."

Heavy spring rain and staff retirements are being singled out as the two main factors contributing to the late start of maintaining the county's popular biking/hiking trails, say county officials.

Fond du Lac County Executive Allen Buechel said the Fond du Lac County Highway Department and the Parks and Trails Department work hand in hand to maintain the county's six recreational trails. The trails which total nearly 50 miles, provide opportunities for hiking, bicycling, walking, nature watching, cross-country skiing and snowmobiling.

County Planning and Parks Director Sam Tobias said a wetter than normal spring has put mowing crews behind schedule.

"We had more than twice the rainfall in June than we normally have. And in May we had 11 days of rain," Tobias said. "Everyone had problems keeping up with the mowing. And then it got warm really quick."

Tobias said mowing the trails is just one task on a list of duties for Highway Department crews that are busy mowing medians along Highway 151 and other county roads.

"The Highway Department mows our major trails — Eisenbahn Trail, Mascoutin Trail and the Wild Goose State Trail — but those jobs have to fit into their schedule along with all the roadside mowing," Tobias said.

Buechel said it's the county's goal to maintain the trail system for the safety of both bikers and hikers. However, the weather and retirements from the Parks Department delayed annual maintenance.

"After our two Parks people retired, we downsized the two full-time positions to one full-time position. And by the time we brought in our part-time students for summer help it was already late," Buechel said. "It sounds like excuses, but that's what really happened."

Buechel said crews migrate first to trails that accommodate snowmobile traffic.

"The cab of the trail groomer is quite high so crews need to trim out branches in the canopy of the trees," Buechel said. "As far as weeds growing up into the gravel screenings, from time to time we will grade the trail bed, which tears out that vegetation. We don't chemically treat those weeds."

Buechel said the delay in trail maintenance is not a matter of insufficient funds.

"We have adequate funding in the budget to do the maintenance that's necessary. However, this year it's the manpower and the late start," Buechel said. "I have been told that Highway Department crews were out on the trail system before the Fourth of July holiday working."

Tobias said the wet weather has impacted everyone this spring.

"We're asking people to consider the situation, the weather we've had and how difficult they found it themselves to mow their own lawns over the past two months. I've seen people trying to mow their ditches out in rural areas and left behind huge ruts in the mud," Tobias said. "Hopefully we are now back into a fairly normal weather pattern and crews are able to get out and do the mowing that's necessary. As far as I know, all the trail mowing is caught up at this point."

Do you have a question you'd like answered in "What's the Story?" Email us at whatsthestory@fdlreporter.com or call us at (920) 907-7912.

Area trails

• The Eisenbahn Trail is a 22 mile recreation trail extending from Eden Community Park south into West Bend. The north 12 miles of the trail is within Fond du Lac County. The Eisenbahn Trail was build on the abandoned Fox Valley Railroad right of way and runs through the communities of Campbellsport and Kewaskum.

• The Mascoutin Valley State Park Trail is a 32-mile State park trail, twenty-two miles of which are located in Fond du Lac County. The trailhead is located at N6980 Rolling Meadows Drive, Fond du Lac.

• The Wild Goose State Trail is a multi-use recreation trail located in Dodge and Fond du Lac Counties on an abandoned Chicago and Northwestern railroad corridor.

• The Northwestern Trail is a short segment of railroad right-of-way located between the City of Ripon and the west county line. It is about two and one-half miles in length.

• The Peebles Trail is a 5.6-mile segment of abandoned railroad right-of-way and active road right-of-way between Fond du Lac and St. Peter. The trail was acquired from the Wisconsin Department of Transportation in 1994 and developed 2006.

• The Prairie Trail is a 7 mile pedestrian/bicycling path along the Highway 151 Fond du Lac Bypass between Martin Road and Winnebago Drive. This asphalt paved trail is part of a connecting system of trails to link the Wild Goose State Trail, the Peebles Trail and the future Plank Trail that is anticipated to be built between Fond du Lac and Greenbush in Sheboygan County.